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Smith flags spin boost for Sydney

Skipper wants more consistency from Australia’s No.1 off-spinner

Australia captain Steve Smith has indicated Nathan Lyon will get some slow-bowling support in the form of a second spinner for the third Test at the SCG, but he’s deferred questions about Lyon's security in the Test team to the National Selection Panel.

Lyon, Australia's most successful ever off-spinner, has taken just nine wickets at 66 this summer and copped the brunt of a free-swinging Pakistan lower order on day three of this Boxing Day Test.

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Having sent down just six overs on the second day of the match, which was shortened by rain, the 29-year-old was targeted on day three by Pakistan number eight Sohail Khan, who launched him for four massive sixes as Lyon conceded 46 runs from just six overs.

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With the second Test seemingly destined for a draw, attention has already turned to next week's series decider in Sydney, which Australia mustn’t lose in order to secure the series win.

When asked if Lyon was a guaranteed selection for the Sydney Test, Smith replied: "I'm not sure, that's up to the selectors.

"He obviously hasn't bowled at his best in this game. It's always difficult bowling to right-handers; I think they've only got two (left-handers) in their line-up.

"And they play spin pretty well so it's never easy bowling against subcontinent players when the ball isn't doing a lot off the wicket.

"We're just looking for Nathan to be a little more consistent in the way he bowls."

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There have been signs so far this summer of the SCG returning to its past life as a spin-bowler's haven, with 28 of 37 wickets in a Sheffield Shield game there in November falling to the turning ball.

And two men who did a lot of the damage in that match, left-armer spinners Steve O'Keefe and Ashton Agar, could come into consideration when the third Test squad is announced tomorrow.


O'Keefe, who is fit again after a horror run of injury in 2016, played the most recent of his three Tests in Sri Lanka in July, while Agar hasn't played a Test since the 2013 Ashes, although he was brought into Australia's squad as cover for the Sydney Test two summers ago.

With the Sheffield Shield's leading spinner Jon Holland sidelined due to injury, O'Keefe looms as the most likely spin inclusion for Sydney, while allrounders Agar and Glenn Maxwell are an outside chance, particularly ahead of a four-Test tour of India in February and March.

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While Smith wouldn't be drawn on exactly who could come into the squad, he indicated the spin stocks will get a boost, and there’s a strong chance of an allrounder being in the squad again after uncapped Western Australia Hilton Cartwright was added for this Test.

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"I think it's possible that we could see another spinner in Sydney," Smith said.

"It's been spinning quite a lot there in Shield cricket this season so there's a good chance there'd be a spinner added.

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"(The fast bowlers) have done some bowling and it's obviously been a pretty big summer for them as well. Six Tests matches is always a lot.

"They've done some yards, which is a little concerning but I think they're pretty confident in their bodies that everything is going OK.

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"We had Hilton in here as cover for those quicks who had a big workload last week and they were confident they could get through and get the job done.

"It's going to be about summing it up and seeing where they're at come the end of this Test match."

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